Periodontal disease, more commonly known as gum disease, is a condition that affects millions of people. Poor dental care causes gum disease. As bacteria spreads, it inflames and infects the gum tissue. Allen Dental Center is a trusted dental office that offers comprehensive periodontal disease treatment in Allen, TX.
Gum disease is a progressive problem that requires professional dental care. It can lead to serious health concerns, including tooth loss, bone loss, and infections that can spread to other parts of the body. Our dental team can diagnose your condition and offer the most effective restorative treatment.
What Is Periodontal Disease and What Causes It?
A good oral hygiene routine removes bacteria from the teeth and gums. However, harmful bacteria can affect your gum tissue if you don’t brush and floss regularly.
Plaque accumulates in our mouths daily. This sticky bacterial film can harm oral health. Plaque left in the mouth can also accumulate on the teeth and harden into tartar.
If you do not clean your mouth thoroughly, plaque and tartar will attack the gums, causing inflammation and infection. The infection will progress and eventually harm the ligaments and underlying bone.
The main factors that lead to gum disease include:
- Poor oral hygiene habits, such as inadequate brushing and flossing, allow plaque to accumulate.
- Smoking and using tobacco products reduces blood flow to the gums. Reduced blood flow makes it harder for the body to heal gum infections.
- Genetics can make it easier for some patients to develop gum disease.
- Several diseases, such as diabetes and autoimmune disorders, can increase your risk of gum disease.
- Some medications, such as antihypertensives and anticonvulsants, can contribute to gum tissue problems.
- Women who are pregnant, going through menopause, or menstruating are more prone to gum tissue inflammation. Hormonal changes can increase gum sensitivity, which is why many women can develop gum inflammation.
- A diet lacking proper nutrients can weaken the immune system. Weakened immune systems make it harder for the body to fight gum infections.
The Stages of Gum Disease
Gum disease is progressive. Without treatment, it will progress through several stages and cause serious harm to your oral health. The stages of gum disease include:
Gingivitis
Gum inflammation is the beginning stage of gum disease. Most people do not know they have it because the symptoms may be minor.
Some signs of gingivitis include redness, swelling, and bleeding of the gums while brushing or flossing. Our dentist can easily treat your gum infection during this stage with regular cleanings. Our dentist also recommends brushing and flossing at home.
Early Periodontitis
Without proper treatment, gingivitis will progress into early gum disease. In this stage, pockets form between the teeth and gums. These pockets provide a place for bacteria to thrive and multiply.
Left untreated, early gum disease can lead to further inflammation, infection, and the beginning stages of bone loss.
Moderate Periodontitis
Once the bacteria in the pockets between the teeth and gums multiply, gum pockets become deeper. The infection will eat away at your gums causing gum recession, tooth sensitivity, and teeth shifting may be noticeable. You will also have increased bone loss.
Advanced Periodontitis
Deep gum pockets are noticeable in this advanced stage of gum disease. Significant bone loss is also common. In this stage, you can encounter loose teeth, and you are at a high risk of tooth loss.
Treatment will involve advanced procedures, including surgery and grafting. However, most damage is permanent.
Signs of Gum Disease
It is important to notice the signs of gum disease. Early treatment is your best chance at avoiding permanent, significant damage. Common signs of this dental condition include:
- Inflamed gums or red, swollen gums
- Gums that bleed when brushing, flossing, or eating hard foods
- Bad breath, also known as halitosis, due to harmful bacteria in the mouth
- Gums that pull away from the teeth, making teeth appear longer
- Sensitivity to hot, cold, or sweet foods and drinks
- Pus between the teeth and gums
- Teeth that feel loose or shift in position
- Changes in the way teeth fit together when biting or chewing
- Changes in the way your dentures fit
Periodontal Disease Treatment in Allen, TX
Our dentist will first need to determine your stage of gum disease to find the best treatment. We aim to eliminate your infection and reduce side effects. Gum disease treatment also preserves as much of your natural teeth and gum tissues as possible.
Scaling and Root Planing
A non-surgical treatment for gum disease is scaling and root planing. This intensive, deep cleaning removes deposits of plaque and tartar from below the gum line and the tooth roots.
First, we scrape bacteria from the gums. Then, our dentist will smooth out the surface of the roots to prevent further infections. This procedure can eliminate the bacteria before they cause serious damage. Tooth loss or severe gum recession is common in the later stages of gum disease.
Antibiotics
Sometimes, patients need antibiotics to help control bacterial infections. Our dentist will prescribe this as an oral pill, topical gel, or a mouth rinse. We often use medicine along with scaling and root planing. After we clean the gums and tooth roots, we can place antibiotics in the gum pockets to prevent reinfection.
Periodontal Surgery
Surgery is often necessary with advanced gum disease. Removing diseased tissue can help control the infection. Gum disease can lead to tooth loss if left untreated. Surgery can prevent permanent tooth loss by treating the infected gum tissue.
Grafting Procedures
We recommend grafting for moderate and advanced gum disease. Patients in these stages suffer from bone loss and gum recession.
Common grafting procedures treat the gum and bone. Connective tissue grafts help replace lost gum tissue, and bone grafts add healthy tissue to rebuild natural bone. Grafts help prevent further loss, stabilize teeth and gums, and improve the smile’s appearance.
How to Prevent Gum Disease
At home and in our office, you can take multiple steps to fight gum disease. Stop gum disease before it spreads by:
- Practicing good oral hygiene: Brush and floss twice a day. Floss between each tooth to remove food and bacteria from the gums. Then, brush for two minutes twice a day. If you have bleeding gums, continue gently brushing and flossing. Then, contact us for a cleaning.
- Replacing your toothbrush: Replace your toothbrush every three months or as the bristles wear down. We recommend regularly replacing your toothbrush as bacteria can grow on the brush over time.
- Visiting the dentist twice a year: We provide cleanings to remove bacteria from the teeth and gums. Our office can also examine your mouth to look for signs of gum infection.
- Avoiding tobacco: Cigarettes, vapes, and other tobacco products can increase the risk of dry mouth. Dry mouth reduces the saliva in the mouth, creating the perfect environment for bacteria to grow. As a result, smoking and dry mouth increases your risk of gum disease.
Restore Your Gum Health
Do you have inflamed, red, and bleeding gums? Call Allen Dental Center for gum disease treatment at 972.640.7564. You can also schedule an appointment with us online.
Please let us know if you have questions about gum disease treatment in our Allen, TX, office. We serve patients in Twin Creeks, Fairview, and other communities in Allen, TX.